Natal

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Here is repost of an email I wrote when the blog thing was broken:
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So much has happened since I last wrote that I fear there is no way i will ever catch up. This is the first trip where I have spent sooo much time hanging out with local people that I literally dont ahve time to write. .. I have also spent a lot of time speaking English, which is really difficult to admit. Of course. my hosts speak portuguese, so I could try and talk only in portuguese, but the way I see it, I can struggle through a month of trying to speak Portuguese all the time and maybe learn more, or I can speak English with people who are very fluent, and actually develop some friendships with people and have interesting conversations.... currently my level of Portuguese is decent for someone who has never had a class, but very slow to actually make conversation. ANYHOW, I have met some super cool people and I am really enjoying hanging out with them.

OK, so Natal - well there wasnt much to do there, but I did get to go to capoeira with a real mestre, in a little cement ramada in the park. I went with a friend who was in their group, and he translated for me, although I can do pretty well since I already use the Portuguese words for everything in Capoeira. What was funny is that I had the highest belt of anyone there, so I had to go first all the time, but I think the guy right below me was actually much better. The mestre was super cool and I wish I could have trained more with him. Most of the rest of the time I hung out with my friend Paulo, who showed me around, and his family. His mom was really really nice about talking to me in Portuguese, and being very patient when I didnt understand. She told me all about corruption in the government here - one of the State presidents has just been ousted. She also made me vegetarian food, which she thought was funny but she was really nice about it. Everyone here is just unbelievably nice. Paulo took me out with his friends at night, and then all six of them (!!!) came to the airport to see me off (I relented to flying since it was cheaper than the 18 hour busride. Now that I am in Salvador, I am going to fly again to Sao Paulo and just wait in the airport for my flight home, since it departs at 6 am).

Salvador is awesome, I finally found capoeira! It is everywhere in the Pelourinho, which is a small touristy area of colonial buildings where the black culture is (you might call it exploited, but anyhow, its) present.

I have been taking capoeira angola classes,. which is a different style than I am used to, but I am really starting to understand the basis for a lot of moves, and there are usually only 2 people in class, so I get 2 hours of intense training. I would like to add more classes per day, but I have been hanging out with people. The other day, I was walking and ran into a friend from California! His whole group is here for a capoeira workshop.... so that was awesome. I also have a local friend who is showing me around. He speaks excellent English, and he is a law student, so we have a ton to talk about...Actually I am meeeting him now to go to the beach. So things are good!!

LOVE and Beijos!

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